K-8 Non-Fiction Reading Strategies as presented at April 2012 MET Link Literacy Conference.

1. Making Non-fiction
Come Alive!
MET Link K-8 Literacy Conference
April 14, 2012
Wendy Grojean
University of Nebraska at Omaha
College of Education
IDEAS Room Coordinator
wgrojean@unomaha.edu

2. What was the last non-fiction book you read
outside of the classroom?
Why?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zY6x6UIjRTs/TkrvcPkWtxI/AAAAAAAAAO4/amPmx57Of0M/s1600/IMG_0737.JPG

3. Traditional Reading Strategic Reading
Format Format
Reading Pre-reading
assignment strategies
given
Guided active,
silent reading
Independent
reading
Reflect on
reading
Discussion to see if
reading was understood.
Student completes fill-in-
the-blank worksheets
(Billmeyer, 2004, p. 27)

4. Reading Strategies
Reading strategies engage the mind of the reader.
Strategic reading is possible when:
• Readers are taught how and when to strategies.
• Instruction of strategy use gradually moves from
teacher-directed to student initiated” (Billmeyer,
2004, p. 28).

5. Purpose of Pre-reading strategies
• Activates prior knowledge
• Builds background knowledge
• Develops interest and motivation
• Introduces key concepts and vocabulary
• Previews the text
• Sets purpose

6. Activities to Support Prereading
KWL charts Graphic organizers
Field trips Possible sentences
Films and videos Text walk / Overviewing
Quickwriting Questioning
Trade books Make predictions
Anticipation guides Brainstorming
Exclusion Dramatic role play
Concept maps Word walls
RAN strategy

7. Conventions of Nonfiction
“We must teach our students what nonfiction
is. Teaching our students that expository text
has predictable characteristics and features
they can count on before they read allows
them to construct meaning more easily as they
read” (Harvey, S. & Goudvis, 2007, p.117).
Conventions of Non-fiction
Types of Non-fiction

8. RAN Strategy
Reading and Analyzing Non-fiction
• A “beefed-up” version of the infamous
KWL.
What I THINK Confirmed Misconceptions New Wonderings
I know Information
• Students are engaged and thinking throughout
the reading process.
• http://scrumblr.ca/

9. Anticipation Guides
Allow students to:
• connect new information to prior knowledge
and build curiosity about a new topic.
Example templates:
Simple form
Upper-elementary-HAL

10. Anticipation Guide Example

11. Strategies during reading:
• Ensure fluent reading
• Identify big ideas
• Organize ideas and details
• Construct meaning
• Enhance meaning
• Propel research efforts
• Clarify confusion

12. Activities to Support Reading
Listen before reading Coding text
Read with buddy Bookmarks
Small group read and share Sketching
Reciprocal teaching Double-entry journals
Highlighting It says / I say
Graphic organizers Questioning
Post-it response notes Visualizing
RAN

13. FQR
During reading students:
• record factual information.
• ask questions.
• respond to merge their thinking with the
content.
Fact Question Respond
Penguins can’t fly How do they get around? That stinks that they can’t
fly!
Not all penguins live in cold Which penguins live in They might get if they live
climates warm climates? in a hot climate and are
black.

14. Text Coding
• During modeling: “Students need to hear
the teacher’s inside thinking or self-talk”
(Chapman, 2003, p. 85).
• Adding novelty to note taking improves the
students’ ability to remember important
information.
• When a unique reference mark is used, key
points are easier to remember and retain.

15. Using INSERT
• Interactive Notation System for Effective
Reading and Thinking (Vaughn and Estes,
1986)
• Develop your own “codes” with your class
• Have the codes visible and accessible to
students
• Examples:
-Simple
-Detailed

16. Post-Reading
• Responding
• Application

17. Purpose of Responding Strategy
• Clarify understanding
• Reflect on big ideas
• Summarize
• Make connections

18. Response Questions
• Prompt thinking
• May have multiple answers
• Cause students to ponder and wonder
• Dispel or clarify confusion
• Challenge students to rethink opinions
• Are subject to discussion, debate, and
conversation
• May require further research

19. Response Questions
• What makes you think that?
• Why do you say that?
• Can you elaborate on that?
• Can you tell me more about your thinking?
• How did you come up with that?

20. Activities to Support Responding
• RAN-Wonderings column
• FQR-The “R”
• Coding Text- ?
• Instructional conversations
• Think-pair-square-share
• Learning logs
• Double-entry journals
• Write summaries
• Questioning
• Exit slips and admit slips
• Written conversation
• Instructional and grand conversations

21. Exit and Entrance slips
• Prompts that document learning,
– Ex. Write one thing you learned today.
– Ex. Discuss how today's lesson could be used in
the real world.
• Prompts that emphasize the process of
learning,
– Ex. I didn't understand…
– Ex. Write one question you have about today's
lesson.

22. Summarizing-Fun?!
• The “gist” –Important information ONLY!
– www.twitter.com or www.twiducate.com
– To create 140 characters or less summary
• Summary wheel-Billmeyer

23. Purpose of Application strategy
• Draw conclusions
• Expand knowledge
• Personalize learning
• Share knowledge

24. Activities to Support Application
• Compare/contrast – Venn Diagrams
• Most Valuable President or Explorer
• Read other books-Read-alikes
• Conduct research
• Write stories, reports, and poems
• Cubing
• Present oral reports
• RAFT – Retelling in various perspectives and
genres
• Multi-genre topics

25. Most Valuable President Use a Venn diagram to compare
the two presidents, explorers,
John F. Kennedy animals, etc. Students present
and the class votes on the
Woodrow Wilson winner.
Abraham Lincoln
Andrew Jackson
Benjamin Harrison MVP!!
Zachary Taylor
Franklin Roosevelt
Ronald Reagan

26. Multi-Genre Topics
Students create three or more items
representing different genres. Examples to
include are:
• Reports
• Stories
• Poems
• Create artifacts
• Posters
• Charts

27. References
Adlit.org. (2009). Exit slips. Retrieved from http://www.adlit.org/strategies/19805/
Billmeyer, R. (2004).Strategic reading in the content areas. Omaha, NE:
Dayspring Printing.
Chapman, C., & King, R. (2003). Differentiated instructional strategies for
reading in the content areas. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
Harvey, S. & Goudvis, A. (2004). Strategic thinking: Reading and responding,
grades 4-8. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Harvey, S. & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work. Portland, ME: Stenhouse
Publishers.
Keene, E.O., & Zimmermann, S. (2007). Mosaic of thought: The power of
comprehension strategy instruction. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Kump, L. (2010). Determining importance of non-fiction. Retrieved from
http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/Determinging%20Importance%20h
andout%20by%20Deb%20Smith.pdf
Moss, B. (2005). Making a case and a place for effective content area literacy
instruction in the elementary grade. Reading Teacher, 59, 46-55.
Rasinski, T. & Padak, N. (2000). Effective reading strategies. (Second Edition).
Columbus, OH: Merrill.

28. References (cont’d)
Readingrockets.org. (2012). Classroom
strategies: Anticipation guide. Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/antici
pation_guide/
Stead, T. (2006). Reality checks: Teaching
reading comprehension with nonfiction K-5.
Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Tompkins, G.E. (2006). Literacy for the 21st
century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Vaughan, J.L. & Estes, T.H. (1986). Reading and
Reasoning Beyond the Primary Grades.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon Inc.